Ala Moana Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it for Ala Moana Bowls.

The next week or so is a bit of a mixed bag for us. We've got a consistent run of ENE trade winds that are cross-offshore, which keeps the surface clean, but the early part of the outlook is plagued by short-period, jumbled swell that just won't set up right on the reef. The wave energy is moderate (in the 900-1400 range) but the period is too short to shape up anything decent. It’s a lot of bump and not much pump.

Starting out on the 2nd and 3rd, it's basically a write-off. Wednesday the 4th afternoon sees the period jump to 14 seconds, which is a glimmer, but the swell drops off and the energy is still moderate at 1482. We're getting close but not quite there. Things start to look a little more promising as we go into the weekend. Saturday the 5th has some size, around 8 ft from the ENE, but with a 14-second period, that long-period groundswell can sometimes straighten out a bit on the Bowls. Still, the energy is picking up (2492) and the winds are backing off to a fresh breeze. The highlight of the first stretch looks like Monday the 7th morning. The conditions are absolutely glassy with a gentle breeze and cross-off winds, and the swell is pushing a solid 8 ft from the ENE. The wave energy is cranking at 3269, and while it's pushing expert-level size, for the experienced crew out at Bowls, this is where it's at. Expect an absolute gem of a session before the winds freshen up that afternoon.

Things go a bit sideways on the 8th with a southerly cross-on wind and a big, messy 10 ft SW swell – that’s a full-blown kite surfing day, not a paddle day. After that, we settle back into a week of small, short-period ENE windswell. The energy drops off significantly (under 1000 again) and it’s just not worth rushing out for.

Looking further out, the second week holds a real treat. From the 14th onwards, the swell direction swings around to the South and SSW, which is the optimum direction for Ala Moana Bowls. Monday the 14th morning has a clean 7 ft swell from the S with light winds and strong wave energy (1001). But the real standout, and the best bet of the entire 16-day window, is the 16th of September. Wednesday the 16th afternoon is looking like a dream. The swell is a clean 4 ft from the SW, but get this – the period is 18 seconds. That's a very long-period groundswell. The energy is strong at 1477, the winds are light and cross-off, and the direction is bang on the money. It’s going to produce some beautifully shaped, powerful lines right through the bowl. Conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. It's a long-range call, so keep your fingers crossed, but if it holds, that’s the session to clear your calendar for.

Overall, there are two bright spots: the Monday the 7th morning for size and power, and the 16th of September for that dreamy, long-period groundswell hitting the optimum angle.

- Rusty

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